F11

1. Obama proposes the creation of new jobs by increasing the number of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. rather than outside the U.S. He also mentions building new roads and pipelines, so to increase construction jobs. He also talks about strengthening the middle class. This will be done by reducing the tax rate on the middle class. He proposes better access to higher education for those who can not afford to pay for college.
2. Obama spoke confidently. He spoke with a sense of assurance. It made me feel confident in Obama's ability to make the changes he proposed. He mentions Michelle Obama and Joe Biden by name. By doing that, he was able to talk about their successes, such as Michelle's focus on reducing childhood obesity.
3. The camera's zoomed in on Michelle Obama when the president mentioned her. The camera also zoomed in on the speaker of the house, John Boehner. The audience would mostly give a standing ovation when Obama proposed change or when he emphasizes better opportunity. When Obama mentioned the increase in the amount of manufacturing jobs in the United States, there was a standing ovation.

F9

a. The majority party in the House is able to select the speaker of the house, who is the most powerful member in the house.
b. The Senate is allowed to filibuster, while the House is not. A filibuster is done to prevent the senate from taking action on a bill by talking for a long period of time. A filibuster makes it harder to pass a bill.
c. With the allowance of a filibuster in the Senate, the House is more likely to pass legislation than the Senate. The filibuster allows for delays with passing bills. The House has a set amount of time a bill can be discussed, making faster to pass legislation.

F8

A.
1. There are 100 seats in the senate and 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
2. 2 seats in the Senate and 11 seats in the House of Representatives.
3. try all impeachments and approve Supreme Judge appointments.
4. initiate bills imposing taxes and choosing the House Speaker
5. Members of the House of Representatives are elected based on population size, and only two members per state are elected to the Senate.

B.
1. Standing Committee
2. Armed Services Committee
3. Conference Committee
4. Rules Committee
5. Ways and Means Committee
6. Budget Committee
7. Budget Committee

C.
1. If Congress adjourns
2. Treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors
3. overrule a presidential veto and declare war
4. Approve supreme judge appointments and the power to impeach supreme judges.
5. 17th Amendment

D.
1. Congress Supervises federal agencies, programs, and activities
2. They are listening to the constituent's opinions, and then using their best judgments to make final decisions.
3. When deploying troops, the President must notify Congress within 48 hours and can deploy troops for 60 days.
4. Advises Congress on the probable consequences of budget decisions.
5. The ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents without having to pay by substituting their signature for postage.

E.
1. Ensures party discipline; makes sure party members are voting according to the official party policy.
2. The most senior senator of the majority party is chosen.
3. Third in the line of succession to presidency.

Extra
1. John Boehner
2.  Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy
3. Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer
4. Harry Reid and Richard Durbin
5. Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn
6. Leahy Patrick
7. Joe Biden

F7

Rep. Ainee

In more provisions section, delete " and will finally be able to be open about their relationships." It does not provide any necessary information for the bill, and it can easily cause conflict with the more conservative members.

 Rep. Chad  

In sec. 4b, replace "most experienced senator" with " the senate majority leader" therefore the most powerful person in the house and senate are appointing, creating a balance of powers. Also, the "most experienced senator" is a bit vague, and could cause conflict in the senate.

Rep. Randy

In sec. 4a, delete "and to strengthen for the best of future humanity" It is a bit confusing, and does not provide a point towards the bill. Also, it is more of an opinion, rather than a fact or solution.

Rep. Scott

In sec. 4, you say there shall be no exceptions unless the mother is danger of losing her life. Doesn't that infringe on a woman’s right to choose, making this bill unconstitutional?

Rep. Iyabo

In sec. 4, replace “Citizens have a choice of selling and smoking marijuana” with “citizens have the right to sell and smoke marijuana.” This will make it clear that every citizen has this lawful right.  

Rep: La’Shay

In sec. 4c, delete "warm" in the phrase " warm healthy food." Not all healthy food has to be warm. It would limit the variety of food that can be offered. for example, sandwiches, which are cheap, are not warm, so the shelters would not be able to serve them.

Rep. Jesse
In sec. 4, you say capital punishment shall be banned all together. How will that affect the government financially? Would it increase or reduce funds?

Rep. Viviana
In sec. 4, you say the number of visas issued out shall increase from 675,000 to 750,000. Would you be able to increase it further, or is that the maximum amount with the $500,000,000 budget?

Rep. Natalia
In sec. 4, you say all public elementary schools shall be required to provide at least one foreign language starting in the first grade. What will happen to public schools that can’t afford to create new classes, even with the government grants? Will grants be given out based on the school's financial situation, or will there be a set limit on the grant?

Rep. Maydha
In sec. 4, you say officers shall be required to take a test to reveal if they are racially bias. If it is concluded, through the test, that an officer is racially bias, will that automatically disqualify them from joining the police force?

F6

113^th congress

1^st session

H.R. 987

To reduce gun violence by extending background checks to all firearm purchases, including gun show purchases.

In the House of Representatives of the United States

January 10, 2014

Taylor Wright

 

A Bill

To reduce gun violence by extending background checks to all firearm purchases, including gun show purchases.  

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 1. Short Title

This Act may be cited as the ‘The Universal Background Check’

 

Section 2. Findings and Purpose.

(a)    Findings- Congress finds that-

(1)    States do not require private gun shows to give background checks. A private firearms dealer is able to sell a gun without any information.

(2)    In the Columbine massacre, the two shooters initially were denied a gun through a federal background check, but then were able to obtain firearms from a gun show, due to no requirements for background checks.

(3)    When buying from a licensed firearms dealer, it is required to have a background check. When buying from an unlicensed firearms dealer, at gun shows, background checks are not required.

(4)    The “gun show loophole” provides dangerous criminals and the mentally ill complete access to firearms, without any restrictions.  

(5)    40% of all firearms purchased in the United States are sold without background checks.

 

(b)   Purposes- the purposes of this Act are to—

(1)    Reduce gun violence.

(2)    Limit the accessibility of firearms to those who are not qualified to purchase a gun

(3)    Support the safety and well- being of the nation.

(4)    Discourage the “gun show loophole”

(5)    Prevent national tragedies, such as the Columbine massacre or the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

 

Section 3. Definitions

In this Act:

(1)    Licensed gun dealer: A firearms dealer who is required to abide by the federal gun laws, which include running background checks on all potential firearms buyers.

(2)    Unlicensed firearms dealer: A firearms dealer who sells gun privately, usually through gun shows or the internet. Unlicensed dealers abide by the States laws on private gun purchases.

 

Section 4. The Universal Background Check

(a)    In General- All potential firearm buyers shall be required to undergo a federal background check, whether the firearm is purchased privately or through a federal purchase.

 

(b)   An unlicensed dealer shall be required to have a federally licensed dealer run a background check on buyers before a purchase is made. Federally licensed dealers must verify that a buyer qualifies to obtain a firearm before a private transaction is made, be it through a gun show, internet, or any other private sales.

                                                                         

(c)    If an unlicensed dealer allows a buyer to purchase a firearms without conferring with a federally licensed dealer, the unlicensed dealer shall be in violation of the law, and be prohibited from selling firearms, and may be convicted to the mandatory minimum sentence for gun law violation.

                                                                                                                                                       

 

Section 5. Authorization of Appropriation

(a)    In General- Expenditures are needed in order to carry out this bill.

(b)   Money shall be raised through a tax.

 

Section 6. Penalty Clause.

(a)    If an illegal gun sale is taken place, a firearms dealer shall be prohibited from selling firearms, and the firearms buyer and dealer may be sentenced to time in jail for gun law violation.

F4

Problem: Today's access to guns makes it easier for people with mental illnesses to gain control of guns, which results in unnecessary gun violence, or tragedies. States are not provided adequate background information when a person purchases a gun, which results in people who should be denied a gun, obtaining one. Access to information on mental illness in federal background checks should be increased. At the moment, due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act, only a limited amount of information on mental health is needed to prohibit those with mental illnesses from obtaining a gun. Access to an adequate amount of background information on mental health will be the most effective way to accurately decide who should and shouldn't be allowed to gain control of a gun.

Existing laws: The National Instant Criminal Background Check System, also known as the NICS, is a system that is required to be used when a gun is purchased. It checks criminal records and mental illness of whoever is purchasing a gun. The NICS improvement amendments act was passed, which created incentives for states to improve the reporting of mental illnesses on federal background check. However, reports did not improve, due to congress failing to give the incentives to the states, such as funding or grants. States were only given about 5.3% of what they were actually meant to receive. The Obama Administration Justice Department was created in order to enforce those who falsify information on their background checks.

Proposal: This law will increase the access states have on mental health information in the federal background checks. Many people that have been involved in recent gun shootings have been mentally ill. Therefore, it should be a requirement to have a complete background check, rather than just the minimum amount of information needed in background checks. There should be a detailed report on a person's mental health provided by an extensive mental evaluation.

Committee: Judiciary

Sources:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/03/obama-announces-gun-control-actions/?_r=0

http://www.policymic.com/articles/22802/gun-control-facts-existing-gun-laws-would-reduce-crime-but-these-are-not-enforced

F3

The amount of gun violence in the United States needs to be reduced through an increase in gun control. Due to the several gun tragedies in the past decade, this issue has been brought to the public’s attention, and emphasizes the need for restrictions. Through an increase in background checks, the number of gun violence and gun tragedies can be greatly reduced.